Any advice or changes you think I should make to my conditioning routine?

30*3 press-ups, holding down on every tenth count for 10seconds.12*3 Backs of the wrists press-ups7*3 one handed press-ups50*2 crunchs, holding up for 30 seconds on the last one100*2 cycling crunchs30*2 leg raises, holding for 20 seconds on the last one

It might sound a bit basic but I am aiming to increase my strengh. I've been doing this routine for about 3 weeks and it has become easier and easier to do. I also train twice a week for MA, play football(soccer) and cycle about 14 miles 4 times a week. Any opinions or suggestions or improvements you can offer?

You have way too much pressing, and no pulling movements (chin ups,rows etc), This will lead to physical imbalance fairly quickly.

The volume of repetitions you are already able to do puts you way out of the specific stimulation for strength increase- quite simply, the resistance that your bodyweight is providing is not great enough.I would also lose the press ups on your wrists- they provide no practical benefits whatsoever, and will merely lead to injury in the long run. Save them for a party piece

Do you have access to a gym? By far the best way to improve your strength is via functional weightlifting/training.

If your under the impression that bodyweight work is for MA, and that weights make you bulky and slow, then you are mistaken, and appropriate weightraining is an essential part of performance improvement for all physical persuits.

Thanks for the advice. The routine was given to me by my instructor. He recommend the pushups on the backs of the wrists in order to improve lower arm strength. I actually was under the impression that weights add too much muscle mass and therefore effect your speed.

I don't have access to a gym. But I do have 2 15pound dumbells. I lifted them for a while doing 2 exercises on each major muscle group, consisting of 12*3 Squats, lunges, shoulder press, side raises, One arm rows and hammercurls. But found the exercises far too easy to do. Given your advice I might choose to invest in some heavier weights and a barbell.

Once again cheers for the advice, I'll let you know how things r goin if i get the gear.

Do you have a backpack/rucksack? if so, stick your two dumbells in it, put it on and do your basic pressups with this extra weight on your back. This will bring your rep range right down. Aim for 5 sets.Dont get a barbell just yet, a cheaper and good investment would be a chinning bar- the type you fit in a doorframe will do. For balance, go for 5 sets of chins.Now take one of your dumbells and hold it on your chest when you do your crunches- again, less reps, more effort, better results.To improve your forearms (lower arms) without hurting your wrists, put the weighted rucksack on at the end of your workout, and just hang from the chin bar till your grip gives out. Do this twice.

Have a look around your area for a good no nonsense gym where you can get access to a power rack and some in person advice. investing in training in such a place will be more use to you than 'flying blind' with a barbell at home.

The exercises you're usingg are not difficult enough to stimulate an increase in strength. You need fewer repititions of harder exercises, and, like Cord says, some pulling movements. Your routine should look a bit more like this:

Hello again. I have made some of those suggested changes, here is my new routine:

1*10,2*7,3*5 chins w/hands facing me, I drop down the reps as I cannot do the same reps properly 3*5 chins w/back of hand facing me, wider grip3*12 one armed pushups, both sides5*12 pushups w/30lb backpack on3*30 crunches w/20lb on chest, holding for 30seconds on last rep.3*12 lunges w/2*15lb dumbells

I did this yesterday and it felt a lot harder than my old routine, so it must be an improvement. Thanks for the tips guys!

Im hopin to build up my chins, but i suppose that will take a few weeks. I was planning to do this maybe twice a week. Would this be frequent enough to stimulate growth? Does it matter what time of the day I should do it at? Any suggestions, anything I should add or take away? Could I work the core more with leg raises or bicycle sit-ups?

Quote:The exercises you're usingg are not difficult enough to stimulate an increase in strength. You need fewer repititions of harder exercises, and, like Cord says, some pulling movements. Your routine should look a bit more like this:

I dont want to sound hostile but every bodies body works in a different way, so when you say "your regime should be like this" keep in mind, it might not.

Ps. not many people know of the janda sit up and very few have the strength to do them anyway, if they have never tried them before they should start out with negatives, when they get the hang of that then they can do the whole motion.

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The way of the warrior is a resolute acceptance of death. -Musashi